“Oh no, I can smell her,” Destiny shakes her head.

“Smell who?”

“Your brother’s girlfriend.”

Elias and his date had just walked into the restaurant and Destiny was getting bad scents from her which is something I didn’t know she could do? Could she smell me when we would train? I could be a little strong smelling after those sessions. I know Elias he gets around, but not usually with anyone that can be considered unhygienic.

“What exactly are you smelling.”

“Sex.”

“Oh, well they’re adults.”

“No, I smell sex and another man.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“That’s not good.”

“You need to tell him,” she suggests as they get closer.

“No. You smelt it, you...delt it,” I refuse to be the one.

When Elias was twenty-two, he found out the girl he had been with for three years, had another boyfriend. Sometimes she’d be with them back-to-back on the same day. It broke his heart. Ever since then, he’s been in relationship after relationship. Some of them are even situationships, and plenty of one-night stands. But, he never cheated on anyone as far as I know. I just hope he uses protection.

“You sure it isn’t him?”

“Does your brother like guys too? Does it run in your family?”

“Not as far as I can tell and shut up. It was one time, years ago and you keep bringing it up the same way my dad does,” I argue with her getting quieter as they’re greeted by the waiter and directed to the table.

“He just smells like art supplies and shampoo. Good shampoo, with lemons and berries.”

“Are you sure? I’ve never heard you talk about...super smell.”

“Well, you never asked, and I never needed to demonstrate it.”

“Crap,” I try to find something else to stare at as they sit down.

“What are you guys over here whispering about,” Elias and his date arrive to the table.

“There’s just, such a lovely sent in the air tonight,” Destiny starts.

“I hadn’t noticed anything,” Elias’ date comments, Destiny fights a laugh quietly.

“Well everyone, this is Zoelandra,” Elias gives a lackluster introduction.

“You can call me Zoe or Zoey,” she smiles and fluffs the loose black curls of her hair.

“Should we start with an appetizer? I hear they have great spinach dip” I try to play it cool.

“No, we should start with wine,” Zoey suggests.

Things don’t fly off the hinges like I expect. I’m constantly playing defense and trying to change direction from Destiny’s hints about Zoey cheating. I don’t know why I’m calling her Zoey, I don’t know her like that, and she’s sleeping around on my brother. I don’t have the best brotherly instincts but I don’t have to let Elias go through this. I can do something about this one. I just don’t know what.

“I need to use the powder room, excuse me,” Destiny stands up in an overly polite manner.

“Oh, I’ll come too,” Zoey follows.

“Dude, you’re being awkward tonight,” Elias downs his third glass of wine before the main course arrives.

“I’m always awkward,” is all I can come back with, forcing myself to finish a second glass of wine.

“Nah, something isn’t right. You’re hiding something. You’re a terrible liar. Not a dishonest bone in your body.”

“I’m not being dishonest,” I pour another glass of wine for myself.

“Go easy, you’re a lightweight and you’re driving.”

“Nah, Destiny is driving,” because she can’t get drunk off regular wine.

“Then drink up and loosen those lips,” he laughs.

“I’ll drink but there are no secrets.”

“Then try to keep up,” he pours another glass for himself.

“Is that a challenge,” I can’t win, I don’t drink regularly but need to change the topic.

I’ve never been on a double date before, but I’m pretty sure this isn’t how they usually go. Elias and I spend most of dinner trying to out drink each other and discussing our partners. He’d talk about how great Zoey was at playing piano. I’d make something up about Destiny being a classically trained violinist. Elias, Destiny and I were having fun with the game. She played along, adding to the story, but after an hour it was clear Zoey was feeling inadequate. That just gave Destiny more reason to play along. She’s become pretty defensive of Elias, as if he were her own brother after meeting him so many times.

“I have to piss like a race horse,” Elias rudely interrupts Zoey’s joke.

“Oh, okay. I’ll finish when you come back,” Zoey feels slighted for the umpteenth time tonight.

“Don’t worry about it. Walk with me, make sure I don’t get lost bro,” Elias holds a hand out for me.

“Take care of your big brother,” Destiny jokes nudging me.

I laugh and take Elias’ hand. Admittedly the whole thing is funny. I always remember taking Elias’ hand and leading him to the bullies who were messing with me. I wasn’t much of a fighter, but I was a good distraction while he punched them out. We made a great team. When he’d take my hand, he’d be leading me to doing something I’d usually avoid like a basketball tournament. I don’t know how we won that tournament. We were both pretty good, but some of those other teams were way better. We just had the communication. Elias and I always communicate.

“So why have you been acting strange all night,” Elias asks as soon as we’re into the bathroom.

“I don’t want you to be upset.”

“I promise I won’t be.”

“Destiny said Zoey is cheating on you. There’s another guy. The team has got more than one star player. The chicken has more than one coop,” that came out blunter than I meant.

“How did Destiny know?”

“She recognized her. Said she saw her kissing another guy at a bar she goes to for lunch sometimes,” who’s a bad liar now Elias?

“Wow, and you guys weren’t going to tell me,” Elias laughs.

“She was throwing out hints, I was trying to tell you without hurting your feelings.”

“Aww, you wanted to protect me,” Elias hugs me, he’s always loving, more loving when drunk.

“Yeah, so what do we do?”

“Oh, me and you are leaving through the kitchen,” we’ll tip the waiters on the way.

“I’ll text Destiny. She’ll get out on her own,” we can read each other’s minds sometimes.

We leave the bathroom and make sure we aren’t spotted by Zoey. I hand the waiter sixty dollars, which is less than what I had planned to spend on our meal. She leads us through the kitchen and out the back door, assuring us she’ll catch Zoey. I send Destiny a text message explaining the situation. She responds with a semicolon and a parenthesis. It doesn’t take more than a few minutes for her to open the driver’s side door. All the laughter reminds me of Elias and I as kids getting away with something devious, it also lets me know that Destiny is still in there, and hasn’t gone insane searching for revenge.